Tube coupling



g- 5, 1941 A. L. PARKER 2,251,715

TUBE COUPLING Filed Jan. 26, 1959 swam/bow A rzhur L. Par/ er and whenthe couplings thus Patented Au 5, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUBECOUPLING Arthur L. Parker, Cleveland, Ohio Application January 26, 1939,Serial No. 252,984 4 Claims. (Cl. 28586) The invention relates generallyto tube couplings, and primarily seeks to provide certain new and usefulimprovements in tube couplings of the type disclosed in US. LettersPatent 1,893,442, issued to Arthur L. Parker, January 3, 1933, saidimprovements being designed principally to protect the coupled tubesagainst failure due to vibration strains. 1

In tube couplings of the type stated the flared end of a tube tobecoupled is clamped between coniform male and female clamping surfaces,formed are used in certain, installations, of which aircraft uses form agood example, the tubes are subjected to more or less exaggerated vibration strains and often fail because of such strains. When these strainsare localized'by direct contact of the tubes with edge portions of thecoupling parts, the ,chances of tube failure-due to vibration strain arematerially increased.

It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide a novel tubecoupling structure embodying a yieldable tube embracing ring whichcushions the tube in a manner serving to dampen vibrations and preventlocalized vibration strains likely to cause failure of the coupled tube.

In its more detailed nature, the invention resides in the provision of atube coupling including male and female elements having opposing male'and female coniform clamping surfaces between which the flared end of atube is clamped, a clamping ring surrounding the tube within the femaleelement and having gaged by the female clamping surface and engaging thefiared end of the tube in clamping relation and an abutment portionmovable in an annular recess formed in said female element, said femaleelement also having an abutment portion opposed to the abutment portionof the clamping ring, and a yieldable ring interposed between saidabutment portions and compressed by engagement therewith for tightlyembracing and yieldably supporting said tube against vibration strains.I i

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube coupling structureof the form stated in which the yieldable ring, during compression,

' serves to initially seat and apply clamping pressure to said clampingring.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube coupling of theform stated in which the yieldable ring engaging abutment portions ofthe female element and the clamping ring are respectively spaced out ofcontact with the exterior a flared portion eneter proportioned .to

ction will be more clearly of the coupled tube and the interior of thefemale element.

With the above and other objects in View that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the inven understood by following the detaileddescription, the appended claims, and the several views illustratedinthe accompanying drawing.

in the drawing,

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a tube couplingembodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section illustrating the relation of the partsbefore the tube is fully clamped, that is, during loose assembly.

Figure 3 is 'a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating a slightly modifiedarrangement of the parts in which the female element carried abutmentportion is a separable element. I I

Figure '4 is a'view similar to Figure 1 illustrating a slightly modifiedarrangement of the parts in which the female element carried abutmentportion is a separate ring mounted in a receiving groove in the femaleelement.

In the example of practical development of the invention illustrated inFigure 1 of the drawing, the male coupling element 5 includes the usualcenter bore or fluid passage 6 and termi nates at one end in a coniformcouple seat or male clamping surface I and is externally threadedv as at8 to threadably receive the female clamping element or nut 9'. v

The female clamping element 9 includes the usual coniform couple seat orclamping surface I0 and is also provided with an annular recess orchamber ll defined at its'outer end by an inwardly directed flange orabutment portion l2.

The coupled tube [3, having an internal diamform a suitable continuationof the passage 6, includes the usual flared end M to be clamped betweenthe opposed comform clamping surfaces 1 and ill of .the' male and femaleelements 5 and 9. It will be observed by reference to Figures 1 and 2 ofthe drawing, that the bore formed in: the abutment flange [2 of thefemale element is large enough to form a definite clearance surroundingthe tube l3, as is indicated at l5, so as to avoid direct contactbetween the female element and the tube at this point. p

Within the female element 9 is slidably mounted a hard metal clampingsleeve 16, and this sleeve is flared at its inner end as at" forengagement with the external surface of the tube flare I4 and for beingexternally engaged by the clamping surface) .of the female element 9.This sleeve terminates at its outer end in an outwardly turned abutmentflange it movable in the annular recess ii hereinbefore referred to. Itwill be observed that the external diameter of the abutment flange i3 issufiiciently small to be definitely spaced inwardly from and avoiddirect contact with the opposing wall surface of the female element, asis indicated at lib.

A yieldable ring 28 is mounted in the annular recess it between theabutment portions or flanges i2 and I8, and when the female element ornut 9 is threaded into clamping position on the male element 5, theclamping sleeve it will be slid along the tube 33 into engagement withthe tube flare M by pressure applied by the abutment flange i2 throughthe ring and the abutmentflange It in the manner indicated in Figure 2of the drawing. This figure indicates the loose. assembly of thecoupling just prior to application of pressure through the yieldablering 20.

When the coupling assembly of the elements 5 and 9 has been completed soas to tightly engage the coniform clamping surfaces I and Ill and theflared portions I4 and I1, the yieldable ring 20 will be compressed totightlyembrace and yieldably support the tube 13 against vibrationstrains.

By reason of the provision of the tightly compressed ring 20 and thespacing thereof from the clamped flare l4, vibrations of the tube willbe dampened, and since direct contact between the abutment flanges l2and IS with the tube and the female clamping elements respectively isavoided by suitable-spacing of these parts, localized vibration strainsare avoided, and 'possibility of failure ofthe coupled tube I 3 due tosuch strains is reduced to a minimum. I

In Figure 3 of the drawing there is illustrated a slight modification ofthe coupling in which the female element includes an externally threadedportion 2| .on which a nutor ring member 22 is ,threaded, and thismember 22 carries the yieldable ring opposing abutment flange 23. As inthe form of the invention previously described this abutment flange isspaced outwardly from the tube coupling described, tion 'of alldescribed.

In Figure 4 of the drawing there is disclosed another slightmodification of the coupling in which the yieldable ring opposingabutment portion is in the nature of a ring member 25 which is mountedin a receiving seat or groove 26 formed in the female element. In thisform also the abutment portion or ring is spaced outwardly from the tubeas at 27. Since the parts in this coupling are constructed and cooperateinthe same manner as in the forms previously de-- scribed, additionaldetailed description is thought to be unnecessary.

It is of course to beunderstood that the details parts are identicalwith those previously parts is the same as has been previously ofstructure and arrangement ofparts may bev variously changed and modifiedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim: a

1.,In a tube coupling, male and female elements threadably engaged andincluding opposed coniform male and female clamping surfaces, a tubehaving a flared end clamped between said clamping surfaces,'a clampingring surrounding the tube within the female elementand having a flaredportion engaged by the female clamping and the cooperative relation andfunc-- as at 24. In all other respects these element having an surfaceand engaging the flared end of the tube and including an abutmentportion, said female annular recess therein surrounding the tube andinto which the abutment portion extends and terminating in an abutmentportion opposed to the clamping ring abutment portion, and a yieldablering surrounding the vtubelin said recess and engaging said abutmentportions whereby upon clamping of the tube said yieldable ring iscompressed to tightly-embrace and yieldably support the tube againstvibration strain.

2. In a tube coupling, male and female elements threadably engaged andincluding opposed coniform male and female clamping surfaces, a, tubehaving a flared end clamped between said clamping surfaces, a clampingring surrounding the tube within the female element and having a flaredportion engaged by the female clamping surface and engaging the flared,end of the tube and including an abutment portion, said female elementhaving an annular recess therein surroundingthe tube and into which theabutment portion extends and terminating in an abutment portion opposedto the clamping ring abutment portion, and a yieldable ring surroundingthe tube in said recess and engaging said abutment portions whereby uponclamping of the tube said yieldable ring is compressed to tightlyembrace and yieldably support the tube against vibration strain, saidclamping ring abutment portion being spaced inwardly from the femaleclamping element, and said female element abutment portion being spacedoutwardly from the tube.

3. In a tube coupling, male and female elements threadably engaged andincluding opposed coniform male and female clamping surfaces, a tubehaving a flaredend clamped between said clamping surfaces, a clampingring surrounding the tube within the female element and having a flaredportion engaged by the female clamping surface and engaging the flaredend of the tube and including an abutment portion, said female elementhaving an annular recess therein surrounding the tube and into which theabutment portion extends and terminating in an abutment portion opposedto the clamping ring abutment portion, and a yieldable ring surroundingthe tube in said recess and engaging said abutment portions whereby uponclamping of the tube said yieldable ring is compressed to tightlyembrace and yieldably support the tube against vibration strain, saidfemale element carried abutment portion being mountable on and removablefrom said female element.

4. In a tube coupling a coupling member having a tapered seat adapted toengage the inner surface of the flared end of a tube, ,means forclamping a tube against said tapered seat includ-. ing a metal sleevesurrounding, the tube and having the inner end thereof tapered toconform to the outer surface of the tapered end of the tube and itsouter end bent outwardly from the tube to form an abutment, an elasticring surrounding the tube and adapted to engage the abutment on saidsleeve, said clamping means having an inwardly extending means adaptedto engage the outer face of said elastic ring, said abutment and saidmeans cooperating to deform said elastic ring for forcing it intocontact with the tube when the tube end is clamped in the couplingwhereby the tube is supported against vibrations.

ARTHUR L. PARKER.

